Zest Tea, a new company to me and one that is apparently focused on getting the caffeine levels of coffee into a cup of tea. As a non-coffee drinker myself, I can get behind that since it would be nice to have a pick-me-up that I would enjoy for those days I am feeling extra sluggish.
I brewed this hot first for 2 minutes at 175 degrees. The flavor is mild but distinctly pomegranate and mint with one following after another as opposed to blending together to create the mojito. The base is hidden beneath the flavors which is my personal preference but may be a downfall for some. Lime is also fleeting, which I am more sad about because I think it would have been a nice component to round out the flavors and bring them together.
Given this is a mojito tea, I figured I should try it iced. Since the flavor of the hot tea was so mild, I decided to brew this cup just a bit longer, 2.5 minutes at 175 degrees. Though that might have added more pomegranate sweetness, it did not add more flavor. Instead, the base came out a bit more making for a sweet grass iced tea with a more generic fruit note. A touch bitter too, though that didn’t show up in the hot cup so my guess was the increased timing threw this off. Mint is more harmoniously blended with the other ingredients here but somehow that adds an earthiness to make this more grassy/medicinal.
I was surprised that this was better hot than iced since the flavors are inspired by a beverage best served over ice. It has a nice enough flavor but I don’t think I will personally be seeking this tea out again. It was fun to try though and I certainly am intrigued to investigate Zest Tea a bit more.
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Green
Where to Buy: Zest Tea
Description
At Zest, we start every morning with a Mojito. This aromatic blend of young hyson green tea, peppermint, lime, and pomegranate will bring back memories of lounging on a beach, or maybe whatever memories you have left of college. Either way, our Pomegranate Mojito Green Tea is an amazingly refreshing blend, great for any time of day.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Ginseng Matcha Green from Pukka. . . . .
I’m a big fan of Pukka teas, and recently I was sent a care package from the UK and some Pukka tea bags were included.
I recently tried the ginseng matcha green tea and was not disappointed. It has a very bright, citrus-y flavor that I really enjoyed. It was very refreshing, and seemed like a perfect fit for an early spring morning. This tea is made with sencha green tea, lemongrass,ginger and licorice root, red ginseng, matcha powder and lemon Vana tulsi leaf. Lemongrass is one of my absolute favorite flavors, and it really shined in this delicious tea.
In addition to the wonderful flavor, I felt very energized after drinking it. It was more than just the caffeine from the green tea. It was like my senses were awakened from the citrus, and probably the ginseng too.
Years ago I took ginseng supplements for awhile, and I remember feeling a definite pep in my step. I also remember they seemed to lift my mood as well. I was living in Seattle at the time, and having a hard time dealing with all the rain.
This tea is definitely one of my favorites. It’s smooth and light and although I had mine warm, I imagine it would make an out of this world ice tea. It would be a very refreshing beverage to have on a warm, muggy summer day. If you haven’t tried Pukka teas, I can’t recommend them enough. This is the fourth or fifth flavor I’ve tried, and I love them all so much!
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Green
Where to Buy: Pukka
Description
This tea is not currently on the Pukka site but click below for teas that are.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Dragonberry from Paper Box Goodies. . . .
When I think of dragonberry, I think of something sweet and berry flavored. Maybe a mix of raspberry, strawberry, and blueberry…or perhaps a blueberry, mango, and papaya blend with a little coconut thrown in. At least that’s what I would do if I was to create a “dragonberry” tea. Upon opening my little sample baggie I noticed that this tea was in a tea bag (ie: not loose leaf) so I inspected the leaves through the bag and they looked and smelled very herbal-y. On scent, I didn’t detect much berry scent. Interesting.
I steeped the tea for 2-3 minutes as suggested on the tea bag’s tag. I smelled the steeped liquid and again, detected no berry but instead there was that herbal scent again. It was herbal and had just the slightest hint of lemon. When it comes to the taste, I would say that the scent translated over very accurately. Its initially very herbal tasting and then some slight mint flavor comes into play followed by a hint of lemon. The first thought that came to mind for me was that it was quite refreshing. I bet it would taste yummy iced. Although this isn’t what I think of when I hear the word “dragonberry”- it was still a good tea that was a definite thirst-quencher!
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Green
Where to Buy: Paper Box Goodies
Description
his high-antioxidant blend is both tasty and good for you! Goji berries, Dragonwell green tea, and lemongrass make this a zesty, vegetal, and slightly sweet green tea
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Sencha Green Tea by The Tea Can Company. . . . .
I steeped this tea in one cup of 175° water. It comes in a sweet little tea sachet that I somehow managed to rip a hole in. (Good job, me.) So I’m steeping this for about three minutes and the color of the water is not changing all that much, although it is taking on a greenish yellow tint.
The tea liquid is ever so slightly viscous, with teeny tiny specks dancing in it that I can barely even see. It’s not fragrant from across the room, but I can catch a whiff if I’m bending over the tea itself. I steeped for two minutes but then decided to put the tea sachet back in for another minute or two because it wasn’t strong enough for my taste yet. The thing about green tea is that you can’t see bit too hot or it will turn bitter; however, if you have cooler water it doesn’t steep as fast. (Plus of course steeping too long can induce bitterness as well.) Also I have no recommendations for this tea so I don’t know the best way to steep it and consequently I am just basically making an educated guess. As I’m looking at the tea leaves inside this teabag, I can see that they’re all chopped up, but they’re definitely not crushed into dust. In fact, they are not nearly as quick to jump out the hole in my sachet as I anticipated they would be.
After sitting for another minute, the tea liquid does look slightly yellower. It does not have a much stronger fragrance, however. But the flavor is quite nice now, with some astringency and quite strong vegetal overtones. I may have pushed it over the edge with my slightly longer steeping though because it is almost verging on bitterness at the end of the sip now. It’s still not what I really call bitter though. It has mostly bright flavors, seaweed and vegetal, with only a hint of buttery flavor. It’s very green flavored and I’m not catching many floral notes either, although perhaps a hint here and there.
I enjoyed this tea, and although I probably wouldn’t drink it on a daily basis, I would definitely consider it for a great travel option because of the convenience of the prepackaged sachet.
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Green
Where to Buy: The Tea Can Company
Description
This pan-fired Green Tea is simply the best. Savor this clean and robust flavor while you enjoy the many health benefits. High in antioxidants. Serve hot or cold.
Ingredients: Pan-Fired Green Tea, Contains Caffeine
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Gingerbread Green Tea from Twinings. . . .
This tea came in my little care package I received from my dear friend who lives in the UK. When I saw that it was a gingerbread green tea, my mind instantly thought of a Chai type tea, so i figured I would make it and add a little sugar and coconut milk.
But the directions on the package said to not add milk. I had my doubts, but decided to not be a rebel and listen to the instructions. I was very pleasantly surprised! It has a definite sweet, cake like flavor.
The ginger flavor is definitely there, but it isn’t too strong and is not spicy or bitter at all. This is definitely one of my favorite teas I’ve tried this year. It needed no sweetener at all. It tasted like dessert in a cup. I really don’t know how they did it, as the ingredients are just green tea, ginger root and natural flavoring.
But it tastes so much more complex than three simple ingredients. I would be happy if I could drink this every day for the rest of my life! I could just imagine having this tea during the holidays, with a fireplace roaring and cheerful music on in the background. Or instead of hot chocolate, having a cup of this after doing something in the snow.
This is the third Twinings tea I’ve tried, and I am very impressed by each flavor. They are all perfectly balanced, naturally sweet and just a real treat. Even though the weather is warming up, this is still a very delicious tea to try.
If all gingerbread tasted as delicious as this tea, I would eat a lot more gingerbread!!
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Green Tea
Where to Buy: Twinings
Description
Green tea with ginger and golden syrup flavour.
The sweet aroma of a traditional cake shop. The tangy warmth of gingerbread, baked to perfection. With real ginger pieces and golden syrup flavour, this is an entirely new take on traditional green tea. One that’s utterly surprising… yet wonderfully familiar.
All natural ingredients, sugar-free and only 4 calories a cup. Who’d have thought green tea could be so indulgent?